What is the Buy American Act? Is it the same as the Buy American provisions of the Recovery Act?
No. The Buy American Act and the Buy American provisions of the Recovery Act are two different laws with very different applications. The Buy American Act, (41 U.S.C. ยง 10a-10d), applies to procurements of supplies and construction materials for the United States government. For example, if the U.S. government issues a solicitation for construction of a new wing to the Library of Congress, the Buy American Act would apply to the procurement. The Buy American Act is implemented by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR, Part 25.) The Buy American provisions of the Recovery Act, (section 1605 of Pub. L. 111-5), require that all iron, steel and manufactured goods used in projects funded by the Recovery Act for the construction, alteration, maintenance or repair of a public building or public work be produced in the United States, with some exceptions. Recovery Act-funded financial assistance is governed by the Buy American provisions of the Recovery Act. For example, if a recipient of fi
